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The Impact of Cycle Skills Training on Skills, Confidence, Attitudes and Rates of Cycling

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The Impact of Cycle Skills Training on Skills, Confidence, Attitudes and Rates of Cycling The impact of cycle skills training on skills, confidence, attitudes and rates of cycling Peter Jones A dissertation submitted in part fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Masters in Health Promotion by research Research Supervisor: Dr Elaine Mullan January 2017 Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Sciences School of Health Sciences Waterford Institute of Technology 1 | P a g e Abstract Overview: There has been a steady decline in the numbers of children cycling to school over the last few decades in America (Emond & Handy, 2011) and Peters, (2016), UK (Department of Transport, 2013) and Ireland (O‟Driscoll, 2015; Woods et al., 2009). Over the same time period, cycling is recognised as the main mode of transport for school children in Denmark (Cooper et al, 2006) and Holland (Wagenbuur, 2011), two countries who have a structured cycle training programme in place for school children. The general fall in cycling levels has also coincided with an increase in childhood obesity with the WHO (2009) listing obesity and lack of physical activity as two of the five leading global risks for mortality. Confidence (Wegman et a, 2010; Ducheyne et al. 2012; O‟Driscoll, 2005; Trapp et al. (2011) and Lorenc et al., 2011) is a key factor in people cycling for transport but there is a lack of research into the impact of cycling training programmes on cycling for active travel, particularly within Ireland. With the evolution of the car as a main form of transport, children and adults attitudes have become less positive due to safety fears with the bike now seen more as a childrens toy than a possible form of transport. There is a lack of research on the impact parental attitudes have towards cycling and how to improve parent and childrens‟ confidence levels for cycling to be deemed a safe and viable transport option. Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study with both intervention and control groups. This involved both quantitative and qualitative data collection from two locations, one with cycling infrastructure and one without. Quantitative data was collected from 631 primary and secondary children from 22 classes over five time periods. The intervention group also received five one hour sessions of cycling training where they were tested on eight cycling skills pre and post training. Qualitative data was collected from 270 primary and secondary school children at five time periods from 10 classes. Focus group discussions also took place with 14 adults over three time periods. Cycling tutors were trained to deliver five cycling sessions and were involved in focus group discussions immediately post training. Results: The results of this research indicate that on road cycling skills training has a positive impact on improving attitude and confidence levels for children and parents. Children stated cycle skills training improved both confidence levels „it was fun and improved my confidence‟; „I‟m not afraid any more‟ and also increased cycling frequency „I cycle more now because of training‟. Parents said „I‟d be more confident of them cycling now but it‟s the environment around them‟. This training improved cycling skills dramatically with general cycling skills improving by 62% and road skills by 83%. Children‟s confidence towards cycling to school increased by 7.5% and there was a 2 | P a g e 36% reduction in the fear of traffic at twelve months post training. There was a sustained improvement of cycling levels to school which was not affected by gender. Results indicated that the impact of on road training is more significant when delivered to primary school children. A lack of „safe‟ cycling infrastructure is often cited as a barrier to childrens‟ cycling levels. Infrastructure did positively impact cycling levels and confidence, but on road cycling confidence and childrens‟ cycling levels to school were higher in an area with no cycling infrastructure. This suggests that improving cycling skills and confidence through on road cycling training is more effective than providing safe infrastructure. Conclusion: The study found that improving children and parents‟ confidence levels in overcoming fears led to improved attitudes towards cycling and an increase in cycling levels. The delivery of cycling training improves confidence, but other initiatives are also needed to address other children and parent fears, particularly the fear of cars. Providing infrastructure does improve confidence levels, but to increase childrens‟ cycling to school levels, on road cycling training is of more importance than providing cycle friendly infrastructure. The funding of a progressive cycle training programme for primary school children could have a more substantial and sustained impact on cycling levels and motorists perception of cyclists than the provisions of cycling infrastructure. 3 | P a g e Acknowledgements „Life is full of ups and downs, the trick is to enjoy the ups and have the courage during the downs‟ As always, thanks to Go Dungarvan and the participating schools and cycling tutors who made this research possible. Thanks to my family for their continued support, and my two daughters, Cerys and Bethan born during this process creating welcomed distractions from study. To my tutor Elaine; thanks for your patience and understanding during my educational and personal rollercoaster that encapsulated this research. And as always thanks to my mother for continuing to be the rock of support she has always been. 4 | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 10 Why are cycling rates higher in mainland Europe? 15 Is Cycling Safe 16 Sustainable Transport Policy in Ireland 17 Go Dungarvan 18 Current cycling training programmes in Ireland 20 Review of Literature Introduction 22 Determinants of Children‟s Cycling Levels 23 Low Cycling Skills Confidence for Children 24 Parents fears of road traffic accidents 29 Distance to destinations 32 The road environment: traffic speed and volume 33 Neighbourhood design and bicycle lanes 35 Increasing cycling rates 37 Improving skills 37 Improving road environment 40 Conclusion & Rationale 41 Methodology 44 Research design 44 Study population and sample selection 44 Research timeline 46 Intervention 47 5 | P a g e Data Collection measures 47 Chid Questionnaire 47 Parent Questionnaire 48 Cycling Skill Test 48 Focus Group Discussions 49 Pilot Study 50 Data Collection Procedures 52 Questionnaire 52 Focus Group Discussions 52 Cycling Skills Tests 53 Data Analysis: Quantitative data 53 Impact on confidence and attitude levels 54 Importance of infrastructure on cycling frequency 54 Impact of cycling skills training on cycling as a mode of transport 54 Data Analysis: Qualitative Data 55 Ethical considerations 55 Results 56 Sample 56 Cycling Training and Skill Levels 58 Gender 59 Age 60 Cycling Confidence Levels and Cycling Skills Training 61 Gender 62 6 | P a g e Age 64 Cycling Training and Rates of Cycling 68 Gender 69 Age 70 Attitude and Cycling Skills Training 70 Gender 71 Age 72 Cycle Skills Training and Parent Perceptions 73 Gender 74 Age 75 Impact of Infrastructure 76 Cycle skills 77 Confidence 78 Attitude towards cycling 78 Cycling for active travel 80 Qualitative Results 82 Sample 82 Table 1. Sample characteristics 82 Table 2. Themes from discussions with children 83 Table 3. Themes from interviews with parents 84 Cycling in general 86 Cycling to school/work 87 Distance, Time and Weather 87 Children cycling to school 87 7 | P a g e Incentives to cycle 88 Cycle Training confidence 89 Training participation and impact 89 Cycling concerns and Infrastructure impact 90 Cycling skills tutors views 91 Table 4. Themes from interviews with cycle skills tutors 91 Cycle Training programme/confidence 92 Training participation and impact 94 Cycle skills/Road ability impact 94 Discussion 96 Cycling Skills 97 Impact of the Physical Environment 100 Confidence and Attitude Levels 103 Age 103 Gender 104 Cycle training 104 Parental Perceptions 105 Barriers to cycling for active travel 105 Cycling Training Content to increase Children 107 Cycling Levels Limitations 110 Recommendations 112 8 | P a g e References 116 Appendices 126 Appendix One – Current Cycle Training Programmes 126 Appendix Two – Irish Cycling Training Programmes 129 Appendix Three – Cycle Skills Assessment 131 Appendix Four – Cycle Skills Programme Outline 133 Appendix Five – Cycle Tutor Training 135 Appendix Six – Child Questionnaire 136 Appendix Seven – Adult Questionnaire 140 Appendix Eight – Child Topic Guide 143 Appendix Nine – Adult Topic Guide 144 Appendix Ten – Cycling Tutor Topic Guide 145 Appendix Eleven – Bike Park Monitoring 146 Appendix Twelve –Children Questionnaire 149 Appendix Thirteen – Adult Cancellation Letter 152 Appendix Fourteen – Principal Consent Letter 154 Appendix Fifteen –Parent Consent Letter 155 9 | P a g e Introduction Overview Cycling, for transport or leisure, has many benefits, ranging from improved health to the positive economic impact of less dependence on motorised vehicles. Other benefits include living longer, moving quicker, spending less and being happier (UK All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group, 2013). Lack of physical activity and rising levels of obesity are global problems across the developed world and the World Health Organisation (WHO) lists them as two of the five leading global risks for mortality that are responsible for 16.1% of deaths in high income countries (WHO, 2009). Obesity and physical inactivity are strongly linked and cycling for transport or leisure can increase physical activity and reduce weight. Childhood obesity is a growing problem with almost 20% of UK children aged 10-11 now obese (Sustrans, 2012). In Ireland, 26% of 13 year olds are overweight or obese with girls more likely to be so than boys and weight issues change little between the ages of 9 and 13 as found in the Growing Up in Ireland report (ESRI, 2012) According to Emond and Handy (2011), in 1969 87% of all trips to school in the US of less than one mile were made by foot or bicycle.
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